1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mounting assemblies for flexible sheets and, more specifically, assemblies for mounting flexible sheets under tension on any desired structure.
2. The Relevant Technology
Billboards are a popular and effective advertising medium. A conventional billboard comprises an enlarged upstanding frame having an expansive plain or board attached thereto. Advertising can be painted directly onto the face of the board. More commonly, however, advertising is printed or silkscreened onto enlarged vinyl or paper sheets which are then secured to the board by an adhesive. Most billboard are located adjacent to a freeway or other roadway so as to maximize public exposure.
Although conventional billboards are effective, the demand for additional advertising has promoted the need to find unique ways and locations for displaying advertising. For example, there is an increased demand for affixing advertising onto the side of buildings or other previously standing structures. The problem encountered, however, is that it is often difficult, and at times undesirable, to mount a conventional display board onto the side of such structures. Furthermore, many zoning and building restrictions preclude the attachment of a display board onto the side of buildings. The display boards are often rejected on the grounds that the display boards comprise a separate element that extends too far from the side of the building. Similarly, it is often impractical or undesired to secure an advertising sheet directly onto the side of a building or structure by an adhesive. Often, the side of the building is insufficiently flat to secure the advertising sheet. Furthermore, use of the adhesive can mare the building surface.
Additional desired advertising space is found on the side of vehicles such as buses, automobiles, and tractor trailers. Here again, legislation precludes the attachment of large display boards onto the side of vehicles. Such boards are often rejected on the grounds that the boards project too far from the side of the vehicles. In one approach to overcome this limitation, silkscreen or other printed advertising sheets have been made for direct attachment onto the side of a vehicle by an adhesive. Such advertising sheets, however, can be difficult and labor intensive to attach and remove. Furthermore, the removal of such sheets can pull off the vehicle paint.
Although vinyl advertising sheets can simply be directly bolted to the side of a trailer or vehicle, conventional bolting makes it difficult to adequately stretch or tension the sheets so that they have a flat uniform appearance. Furthermore, it is often desirable to quickly exchange or replace advertisement sheets. This is particularly important with regard to truck trailers wherein the advertising sheets must be replaced during the period in which the trailer is being either loaded or unloaded. Conventional mounting systems are often labor intensive and time consuming in the replacement process.
In one attempt to overcoming some of the above problems, conventional cranks have been mounted onto the side of a truck trailer. Advertising sheets are formed having straps projecting from the side thereof. Accordingly, by tightening the straps through the cranks, the advertising sheets can be secured to the side of the trailer. Such an assembly, however, requires specially made advertising sheets wherein the straps must be aligned with the cranks. Furthermore, the cranks can produce localized stresses on the advertising sheets at the site of the straps, thereby producing an uneven appearance. Finally, the cranks project relatively far from the side of the trailer, thereby decreasing the aesthetic appearance and increasing the potential danger to those standing adjacent to the trailer.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved assemblies for mounting flexible sheets onto a desired structure.
To achieve the foregoing and other objects, and in accordance with the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, a mounting assembly is provided for removably securing a flexible display sheet to a structure such as the side of a building or vehicle. The display sheet has a front face that extends to an encircling perimeter edge. Secured at the perimeter edge is a small diameter retention line. The display sheet is configured such that advertising can be printed, silkscreened, or otherwise disposed on the front face thereof.
The mounting assembly includes a mounting bracket, adjustment bracket, and brace. The mounting bracket and brace are configured for ridged attachment to the side of the structure, such as by bolts. The mounting bracket has a coupling channel that extends along a first end thereof and communicates with the exterior through a narrow mouth. The coupling channel and mouth are configured to slidably receive and retain the top edge of the display sheet when the mounting bracket is rigidly mounted to the structure.
The adjustment bracket has a front face extending between a first end and an opposing second end. A coupling channel also extends along the first end of the adjustment bracket and communicates with the exterior through a narrow mouth. The coupling channel and mouth are configured to slidably receive and retain the bottom edge of the display sheet such that the front face of the adjustment bracket can be freely disposed adjacent to the structure.
A receiving channel extends along the second end of the adjustment bracket and communicates with the exterior through a narrow mouth. A plurality of retention nuts are slidably disposed within the receiving channel. The retention nuts are configured to preclude annular rotation therein. The first end of a threaded bolt is screwed into each retention nut such that each bolt projects through the mouth of the receiving channel to an opposing second end. A positioning nut is also threaded onto each bolt and selectively biased against the exterior of the adjustment bracket so as to secure each bolt in a desired location along the length of the adjustment bracket.
The brace has a front face that also extends between a first end and an opposing second end. A plurality of spaced apart elongated slots extend through the brace between the opposing ends. Once the brace is secured to the structure, the second end of each bolt is disposed through a corresponding slot on the brace. An adjustment nut is then threadedly engaged at the second end of each bolt such that as each adjustment nut is advanced, each adjustment nut biases against the brace causing each bolt and the attached adjustment bracket to advance towards the brace. As a result, the display sheet is vertically tensioned between the mounting bracket and the adjustment bracket.
If desired, a similar assembly can also be mounted along the sides of the display sheet so as to also horizontally tension of the display sheet. Once the display sheet is tensioned, a cover comprised of linear and corner members is mounted to the mounting and adjustment brackets so as to substantially cover the mounting and adjustment brackets, brace, and perimeter edge of the display sheet over the structure.